Chronic Disease Prioritization Work Group
Wednesday, May 18, 2011 – 4:00 p.m.
YMCA – Harding Center, 200 Y Boulevard
Dr. Steve Lidvall, Chair, Presiding
Present: Dr. Steve Lidvall, Chair; Mike Bacon, Dr. Gene Boyd, Kelly Davitt Helena Stanaitis, Dr. Jeff Tillery
Staff: Becky Cook Kendall, Gary Jahnke
The goal for this meeting is to work through interventions related to the health issues of obesity and
smoking. Interventions which have proven effective, with an evidence base of more than one prior
study, are preferable.
Obesity
At the last meeting it was determined that the target population for obesity interventions would be
youth, with a target audience of Rockford Public School District 205. Harlem School District was also
suggested as a potential target.
Tim Dimke reported that the Rockford School District is contracting with the Rockford Park District and
the YMCA to deliver a health-based summer program anticipated to reach 2500 students. It is focused
on physical activity, sports, and some education. The YMCA is subcontracting to provide the education
piece, and may be incorporating portions of the Youth Fit for Life model. The program is five days per
week for six to eight weeks. Sites are still to be determined. This program is an expansion of a similar
program last year, which reached approximately 700. It also includes Burpee, the Arts Council, and
other providers for additional enrichment activities.
This program sounds similar to a model used previously at Beyer School. This has the benefit of building
on what is known rather than inventing something new.
Questions about the program were raised, including the following:
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Will the program incorporate measureable objectives and evaluation? Given the funding
source, the program is assumed to include some measures. Benchmarks from last year’s
program may be available.
What would the role of the Rockford Health Council be? RHC could partner with and promote
the program. As policy statements are developed around the program, the Council could put its
name behind such statements as well.
This program is only for the summer. Would it be possible to maintain components of the
program throughout the school year? It was suggested to blend this program into existing afterschool activities once school resumes in the fall.
It was also suggested that many organizations are doing pieces of this program – RHC’s role may be to
help support the coalescence all of these pieces into a comprehensive program moving forward. A
meeting will be called including Wray Howard of the YMCA, Tim Dimke of the Park District, and other
key individuals to further explore this program. The Work Group’s consensus was that the program may
fit the Work Group’s objectives and be recommended for support to the Healthy Community Study
Steering Committee.
Smoking
Basic concepts related to smoking reduction include the prevention of youth starting smoking, and
cessation – particularly cessation programs at the workplace. Policy and laws relating to smoking were
also mentioned, such as prohibitions on smoking indoors in public places.
In the area of cessation of smoking, it was noted that companies are looking to cut health care costs,
and may be interested in implementing strategies to reduce smoking among their workers. Options for
this include:
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Many companies are incentivizing healthy behaviors through their health care insurance plans –
those who engage in unhealthy behaviors such as smoking pay a higher premium than those
who do not. Some organizations in the community are also considering tiered benefit plans,
which would have less costs for those who don’t smoke. Some companies are offering smokingcessation counseling services for their employees. Could Rockford Health Council serve a role in
encouraging more companies to adopt similar policies designed to improve the health and
wellness of the community?
Pfizer has a smoking cessation program available.
The American Lung Association, American Cancer Society and American Heart Association all
have “quit lines”. Publicizing these telephone numbers, intended to support individuals who
have decided to stop smoking, could be part of any strategy.
Mike Bacon reported that the Winnebago County Health Department offers smoking cessation
groups. There is a cost associated with joining a group, but any individual making to the end of
the class receives their money back. This has targeted workplaces, as well as community-wide
efforts. Mike stated that individuals have called back asking questions after the end of their
program, indicating that they are trying to continue as a non-smoker.
It was noted that efforts to get adults to stop smoking are challenging at best. It is difficult to change a
hardcore smoker’s mindset to get them interested in quitting. The group discussed targeting youth
prevention as a way to reduce the overall smoking population. Studies show that most who smoke
begin as young people, some as young as 11-12 years old. Evidence suggests that the most effective
interventions in reducing youth smoking relate to: a) mass-media educational campaigns, and b) price of
cigarettes. One-time interventions and ‘lectures’ have not shown a positive impact on smoking. There
are also enforcement of smoking purchase laws and compliance checks of organizations that sell
cigarettes. RAFT, led by Chris Greenwood, was noted as an organization which is involved in these
issues as well.
Educational campaigns were suggested. While there is value in adding a component about smoking to
the educational curriculum, evidence has shown that education alone is not enough. Mass media
campaigns are shown to be most effective. Recently, significant State money was invested in smokingbased media campaigns previously, and it made an impact. To have the most effect, any educational
effort should be reinforced through mass-media and public messaging.
In particular, Mike Bacon mentioned the “All Smoke High” marketing campaign, which was seen as
highly successful. However, there are issues with the rights to use the program at this time. When the
campaign was developed, it was not a part of the contract that the end product is the property of the
State. The firm that developed the program still owns the artistic rights to the advertisements. Mike
agreed to look further into the use of that or other ad campaigns. Dr. Lidvall will look into off-the-shelf
smoking prevention programs available through the CDC as well.
Efforts to prevent accessibility were discussed. WCHD has a program where 15-17 year olds,
accompanied by plain-clothes police, attempt to purchase cigarettes at every county retail
establishment that sells tobacco. They find that approximately 5-10% of the retail establishments will
sell cigarettes to minors. However, a key issue is that penalties for such sales end with the sales clerk
who made the sale; there is no penalty to the business itself. Enhancement of this program may be
worthwhile.
A question was raised whether this group could make an impact on tobacco use. Media campaigns are
most effective, but are the funds available to purchase air time to do so? Enforcement efforts are
ongoing. The other method might be to advocate for policy change related to smoking. It was
suggested to go to the tobacco industry and request funding. It was noted that Illinois receives
approximately $180 million per year from the tobacco settlement; however, only $5 million of that goes
into prevention of smoking. The remainder goes into the State general fund.
Next Steps
A meeting will be held with Tim Dimke of the Park District and Wray Howard of the YMCA to look further
into the Park District/YMCA collaboration. Following that meeting, a formal outline to address obesity
will be created.
Mike Bacon will look into the possibility of accessing the “All Smoke High” ad campaign. A plan to
address smoking will be developed based on the results of his inquiries. If use of All Smoke High proves
feasible, the plan may be for a mass media campaign. If not, the plan may shift to efforts to encourage
employers to adopt health and wellness efforts in the workplace targeted toward reducing smoking,
possibly to include counseling efforts for those who wish to stop.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjoured.